chaos_chroniclesfandomcom-20200214-history
The Great Catacombs
The Great Catacombs (also known as the Halls of Silence, or the Tunnels of the Damned) are the remains of the Moscow Metro in what was once Russia on Mobius. The tunnels are ancient subway tunnels that allowed trains to pass from station to station under the great city of Moscow. Due to the complete annihilation of Human life on Mobius some time around 12,000 years ago, the tunnels suffered catastrophic damage and and several sections of it have collapsed. Prior to its destruction, the estimated size of the metro itself was well over 330 kilometers in line length, and well over 200 stations dotted the rails, leading to a large interconnected network of essentially small towns located underground. Description The ancient city known as Moscow is a damned place to the Mobians living in the land. The Catacombs are feared by the inhabitants of surrounding villages. In local legend, the Catacombs were never created, but were formed when Mobius was. The Ancients (Humans who lived prior to the arrival of the Lost Million) simply discovered them and used them for their own means. When the Xorda attacked, two stages of destruction followed. The upper city was vastly destroyed with Human populace being obliterated by gene bombs and conventional bombardment. Those who fled to the lower levels however or were located in the Metro when the bombing began however survived the initial attack. However, the high radiation of the outside world forced civilians to stay below ground. However, it would be in vain. Supplies could not be kept due to both tunnel collapse and war between factions that formed. After approximately ten years of subterranean living, the last surviving Humans of Moscow died either of vitamin deficiency, hunger, or suicide. For the next twelve thousand years, their bodies would be held within the metro until they were nothing but bones kept preserved due to the lack of elements. It was not until 2817 when natives of the Urush aboriginal tribes (Mobians who lived outside of society forming band structures) stumbled across the Metro. This was the first interaction with the Ancients in hundreds of years for them, and they branded the tunnels The Great Catacombs due to their size and scope. No effort has been taken to explore the tunnels. Local superstitions keep such an expedition from being carried out. There has been alleged sightings of ghosts in the tunnels or muttering in strange languages. Those who hear it claim that it belongs to one of the corpses that lay within. Others claim to see strange lights flickering on at times which spooks scouts from traveling further into the system. While no explanation can be given for the voices, flickering of lights may result in electrical current which may be passing through the system somewhat. There are legends that also say that collapsed tunnels protect a group of the Ancients that remain alive after thousands of years in isolation where they somehow staved off hunger and war, though there is no evidence to show that such a colony exists anywhere within the Metro, and certainly not containing Pre-Xorda Humans. The UNSC has expressed very little interest mapping the Great Catacombs, instead choosing to build infrastructure in metropolitan areas of the. However, the Silent Halls have formed their own reputation all over the planet. Daredevils travel to the abandoned Metro to spelunk and try to go as deep as possible, but very few return. Some speculate that there have been radiation leaks from old Soviet reactors that still run hot after all the millennia. Trivia * Almost 1.5 million corpses forever lie in the Silent Halls of the Metro.